1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to accessing system management features and functions of these computer systems.
2. Background Information
For operations in today's complex computing environments, it is becoming essential for modern computer systems to be equipped with features and functions that allow them to be easily managed, both in stand-alone as well as networked environments. Examples of system management features and functions include fault management, performance management, configuration management, security management, and accounting management features and functions.
Typically, the system management features and functions of a computer system are accessed through subsystem instrumentation software executing on the computer system. Examples of subsystems are CPU, memory, disk storage. The subsystem instrumentation software are selectively invoked by local management agent software, in response to system management requests from management console software, which interacts with a system manager. The system manager and the management console software may be local or remotely located from the management agent software and the instrumentation software.
Conventionally, a subsystem instrumentation software module is made up of three major code segments, a first segment that is operating system specific for interfacing with the management agent software, a second segment that is platform specific for accessing the management features and functions of the subsystem, and a third segment that bridges the first and second segments. For the purpose of this disclosure, the term platform refers to a vendor specific hardware and enabling software combination, where the enabling software are hardware specific and operating system independent. An example of enabling software is system BIOS.
Since each platform contains multiple subsystems, and each subsystem may have multiple implementations, a platform vendor provides a subsystem instrumentation software module for each operating system, subsystem implementation, and subsystem combination. As can be appreciated, the effort required of a platform vendor to facilitate accesses to system management features and functions under such conventional approach can quickly become untenable.
Thus, it is desirable to be able to facilitate accesses to system management features and functions in a more efficient and cost effective manner. As will be disclosed in more detail below, the present invention provides for a method and apparatus that achieves these and other desirable results.